The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-10-06
the gulch to make my escape through

AAA ho PiaCc WAS Tile rlIG over Ten
feet wide, while it narrowed here and
there to four or five. Its sides were
almost perpendicular, and had not
gone over three hundred feet before
came to the end. 1t was what is known
as "a false canyon" extending only a
little way into the mountain instead of
cutting through it. In the twilight
which prevailed down tkere I ran
plump up against mass of rock in the
path, and when l had burned match
or two fully realized the situation. I
was in trap. 1t was not likely that
the Indians yet knew of my location.
They knew that one or more white
men were in the valley. but could not
tell just where. 1t was morning, you
remember, and before night came they
would know all about it. They would
creep and dodge and reconnoitre, and
before noon they would be certain that
they had only one man to deal with.
Any attempt to leave by way of the
valley would be checkmated, and I
could not get out at the upper end
without going over the wild and rugged
mountains. should, However, have
returned to the mouth of the gulch to
- some other way, but while I was
burning last match / heard great
clatter on the rocky bed of the rift
few yards off. Believing the Indians
to be coming, / looked swiftly around
for some place of concealment or adj
vantage, and to my right saw hole
in the rocks. In three jumps was at
the spot, and ten seconds later I had
crawled into the hole on hands and
knees. The minute got my nose in
side / smelt bear. Indeed, the odor
was strong enough to stife me. 1
knew also that had entered den or
cave of considerable extent, and 1
hastily struck match to look around
ME. It was cave. While the en-
trance was very narrow, the chamber
was at least eight by twelve in size.
and high enough for me to stand up
in.
1t required only few seconds to
take in what have told you, and the
match had just expired when heard a
sniff and ''woof!" at the entrance,
and not only smelt bear, but 1 heard
him. He had his head in the hole, and
whirled my rifle about and fired right
into his face. The roar he uttered
shook the solid rock of the cavern, and
he drew back, tumbled about in the
gulch for two or three minutes, and
then made off. whining with pain and
growing with anger as he went. When
l could hear him no more, / lighted
another match and looked for hairs on
the rocks. They were there in plenty,
and they were proofs that it was a Gin
namon bear whom / had turned out of
house and home. There was a couple
of loose rocks on the floor of the den,
and the first move I made was to roll
them up and block the entrance. While
they did not fill the aperture, they
created an obstruction which neither
man nor bear could remove while was
behind them.
In about twenty minutes the bear re-
turned, accompanied by his mate, and
for the next half hour they made lively
work for me, They were fiercely de-
termined to get at ME, and, as l did
not wish to discharge my rifle again,
for fear the report would be heard by
the Indians. ! had to resist them by
ljamming their heads with the muzzle.
The brutes gave it up at last as bad
job, but while the well one went away
the wounded one lay down exactly in
front of the entrance and licked his
wounds and uttered low growls. He
had put himself ON guard, and he
meant to stay by until he had had re-
venge. had hastily gathered up a
small quantity of provisions when
left camp. and, though l hsd no water,
l should not suffer much for couple
days. The only thing 1 could do
was to make myself as comfortable as
possible and wait for somethiugto to turn
up. cared very little about the bears,
knowing that could kill them off at
any time, but the Indians were to be
seriously considered. They would
leave no stone unturned to find my
hiding place, and once they found me,
situated as l then was, l was a dead
man.
There was no change in the situation
until about sundown, when the other
bear returned, and second attempt
was made to get at me. They were sc
determined that had to use my re-
volver, firing four shots. and, while
neither of them was killed, both were
driven to fury by the wounds. The one
went off as before, while the other lay
down at the mouth of the den, and the
night passed without disturbance.
slept pretty well for man in bears
den, but awoke just as daylight wa:
filtering down into the gulch. It was
fierce roar from the bear which
aroused me. thought his mate hac
returned and that another attempt wa:
to be made on my defenees. but | wr
quickly set right. The bear started
DOWN the pulch. and inside of minute